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XML interface

BACKCLICK has  the possibility, to structured Content and control information from external system, for example  Contentmanagementsystemen or process automation systems. As a data exchange format it is used XML.

Duties, function and applications of the XML interface

The BACKCLICK XML interface can be used for two different kinds of tasks:

Transferring of structured Content to BACKCLICK for spend this within newsletters as sorted lists. These lists exist of single records, the BACKCLICK as XML files must be made available. Thus, for example, the newest sports news which is delivered by XML within a newsletter can be dispatched considering the interests of every single subscriber. Control of the production and dispatch of newsletters to be able to provide complete HTML newsletters or text newsletters of external system help of special XML attributes and even to dispatch them.

Funktions of the XML interface:

All  XML files which are pushed by external systems must be filed at BACKCLICK in the list ~/XMLImport. These files can be filed as FTP, NFS, SMB or some else. Which variation you use remains to you. For the import the central controlling process the MCP is responsible. Sould be a Controll file are in included for the production of the newsletters, the MCP creates one and dispatches them also if the dispatch date is put on NOW or in the past. Should the XML files contain no control functions, the structured data are filed as records in the  BACKCLICK database. You are able to do the contents of this data bank in the administration surface inside of  Campaign - Management ->; Content records can be seen and deleted when required. Editing isnt included here

Use of the XML interface:

The following text  is about  how you generate and dispatch this by email as a newsletter from  imported XML data structured lists. In addition own computer language (GIS-API) is used in BACKCLICK. This computer language is treated on the basis of examples in detail. Also the possibility is described to put on entire newsletters without use of the administration surface by XML and to dispatch. The following chapter uses automatic compensations of user-defined key words by certain contents occur, for the start we explain this function which is called GIS-SUBSTITUTIONS.

GIS-SUBSTITUTIONS

Within the newsletters which you write, the text segments which recur seem absolutely over and over again. To simplify the insertion of these text segments, the functionality GIS-SUBSTITUTIONS was inserted. This function substitutes for certain expressions with other expressions or text blocks which u defined. In the menu System administration->; configuration menu you find the function 'Substitutions - manager'. If you call the function by  clicking on the -button, you will find here an overview of key words which are substituted with certain contents with the construction and mailing of newsletters. Now you have the possibility to extend, edit, look or delete the Keywords. If you click on the button, a new input field in which you insert the expression to be substituted (key word) on the left side and on the right side the contents to be substituted. By a click on you finish the allocation. However, you can not only  substitute for expressions or automate Verlinkungenlinking. The main advantage of GIS-SUBSTITUTIONS is that you can make available complicated GIS_API instructions (the integrated computer language of BACKCLICK) to every editor. GIS_API allows an entire automation of the contents of your newsletters. The contents coming from any sources which must be entered in the form of XML files in the BACKCLICK system in the list ~/XMLImport can be automatically read with the help of GIS_API instructions, and be given sorted and formatted. Anhand eines Beispiels wird nun erklärt, wie Sie Newsletter automatisch erstellen und versenden können. With the help of an example it is explained how the Newsletter is getting created and dispatched.

XML interface - controll creation and the dispatch of the newsletter

With the help of the following XML attributes in the tax file XML to be transmitted in BACKCLICK the dispatch of a newsletter is steered. The XML file must be filed in the list ~/XMLImport. You can infer from the example illustrated below as such a XML file is based.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1" standalone="yes"?>
<FILE>
<META NAME="NEWSLETTER-NO">1</META>
<META NAME="NEWSLETTER-SUBJECT">Heise News Flash $$VORNAME$$</META>
<META NAME="NEWSLETTER-PUBLISH-DATE"></META>
<META NAME="NEWSLETTER-STATUS">0</META>
<META NAME="NEWSLETTER-AUTHOR-LOGIN">bcadmin</META>
<META NAME="NEWSLETTER-DESCRIPTION">XML Test</META>
<META NAME="NEWSLETTER-PRIORITY">3</META>
<META NAME="NEWSLETTER-ATTACHMENTS">test.pdf</META>
<META NAME="CONTENT-MAIN">Beispiel für Text</META>
<META NAME="CONTENT-ALTERNATIVE">Das ist die Textversion</META>
</FILE>

In the following the  XML attributes are getting more  described:

NEWSLETTER-NO 

Here a number is given between 1 and N which specifies the number of the newsletter distributor list to which the newsletter should be dispatched.

 <GIS>

READ <<UEBERSCHRIFT>>
FOREACH {PRINT"<<UEBERSCHRIFT>><BR><BR>" }
CLEAR

READ <<HEADER>>
FOREACH {PRINT "<<HEADER>><BR><BR>" }
CLEAR

READ <<BODY>>
FOREACH {PRINT "<<BODY>><BR><BR>" }

</GIS>

 <HTML>
<BODY bgcolor="#cccc99" text="black">
<font face="verdana" size="2">
<STRONG>Sehr $$geehrter$geehrte$$ $$ANREDE$$ $$NACHNAME$$,
<BR><BR> beispiel_ru <BR><BR>
Mit freundlichen Grüßen<BR><BR>
Ihre Newsletter-Redaktion</STRONG></font>
</BODY>
</HTML>

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1" standalone="yes"?>
<FILE>

<META NAME="UEBERSCHRIFT">Blindflug mit Windeln</META>
<META NAME="HEADER">Abenteurer und Multimilliardär Steve Fossett über seinen waghalsigen Rekordversuch, allein in einem
Düsenflugzeug nonstop die Erde zu umrunden.</META>
<META NAME="BODY">Alles, was ich brauche, ist längst im Flugzeug. Nun warte ich nur noch auf günstiges Flugwetter. Derzeit führt der
Jetstream über den USA zu Turbulenzen. Ich hoffe, dass es ab dem 16. Februar ruhiger wird - das sagt zumindest mein Chefmeteorologe,
der von Belgien aus das Wetter für mich überwacht.</META>
<META NAME="CONTENT_SOURCE">BACKCLICK</META>
<META NAME="CONTENT_ID">283476</META>

</FILE>